For NHPR - Iowa & New Hampshire: The Co-Dependent Odd Couple That Works for Republicans

Originally posted on NHPR.org:

Every four years or so, someone proposes replacing Iowa and New Hampshire as the first two states on the presidential nomination calendar, raising the hackles of activists and politicos in both states. This year the call is perhaps more newsworthy, since it came from Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus, in an interview with National Journal.

Rather than rehashing the pros and cons of dumping Iowa and New Hampshire, let’s consider what the results might be if such a change were made. If both states were relegated to somewhere in the middle of the batting order, how would the early primary electorate change?